title: Cow's milk allergic children can present sensitisation to probiotics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate sensitivity to different probiotics in children with cow's milk allergy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-five patients (age range: 4 months -12 years) presenting atopic dermatitis (AD) were enrolled. Skin prick test (SPT) responses to three different probiotics preparations (Fiorilac, Dicoflor and Reuterin) were evaluated in addition to relevant food allergens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-nine patients out of 85 (45.8%) had a positive skin response to prick test for cow's milk (3 with reaction <3 mm). Of the thirty-six patients with a cow's milk weal reaction >3 mm, twenty-eight (77.8%) had a skin response to Fiorilac, four patients (11%) to Dicoflor and four (11%) to Reuterin. The proportion of SPT reaction to all the investigated probiotics preparations was significantly lower than cow's milk (r = 9.406; p = 0.002). A significantly higher sensitization was observed for Fiorilac versus Dicoflor (r = 30.916; p < 0.001) and versus Reuterin (r = 34.133; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Probiotic use in patients with cow's milk allergy has to be limited to products that do not contain milk. This should be clearly reported in the label. In selected patients, it is advisable to perform a screening SPT with the product to evaluate its potential contamination with milk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Bruni
authors.forename: Giorgio L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Piacentini
authors.forename: Diego G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Peroni
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bodini
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fasoli
authors.forename: Attilio L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Boner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008892:Milk / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000009:adverse effects*